Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) Exercises Options for 18 Additional Buses from NFI’s New Flyer
NFI Group Inc. (“NFI” or the “Company”), a leading independent bus and coach manufacturer and a leader in electric mass mobility solutions, today announced that the Central Ohio Transit Authority (“COTA”) has exercised options for 18 Xcelsior® compressed natural gas (“CNG”) forty-foot, heavy-duty transit buses, converted from NFI subsidiary New Flyer of America Inc.’s (“New Flyer”) backlog. The award follows COTA’s second option conversion of 28 CNG buses, delivered earlier this year.
The options were exercised from a five-year contract originally announced in 2018 for 154 Xcelsior CNG forty-foot transit buses. Both purchases were supported by Federal Transit Administration funds as part of COTA’s 2013 commitment to convert its entire fleet to natural gas within 12 years.
COTA provides public transit in the greater Columbus and central Ohio region, and prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, delivered more than 19 million passenger trips a year. COTA has been named Outstanding Midsize Public Transit Organization twice by the American Public Transportation Association, receiving the international recognition in 2018 and 2020.
Paul Soubry, President and Chief Executive Officer, NFI, said:NFI continues to lead the evolution to low and zero-emission buses by providing the industry’s broadest range of propulsion options to suit individual customer needs and unique operating environments. We are proud to be awarded COTA’s follow on requirement for state-of-the-art transit buses, in support of its environmentally responsible vision for transit.
NFI has been a CNG leader for more than 25 years, offering unmatched expertise in designing and deploying low-emission transit buses. Xcelsior CNG buses emit 90% less nitrogen oxide than diesel engines, resulting in cleaner, more breathable air. For more information, visit newflyer.com/xcelsior-cng.
Chris Stoddart, President, North America Bus and Coach, said:With over 155 buses delivered to COTA since 2001, New Flyer continues to provide safe and sustainable transportation to the greater Columbus region. Today, there are over 13,000 New Flyer CNG buses on the road in North America, proving the safe, scalable, and efficient performance of these low-emission buses. With CNG technology onboard, they emit virtually no visible particulate matter from the tailpipe – delivering immediate emission reduction and moving toward cleaner air for all.
Today, NFI supports growing North American cities with scalable, clean, and sustainable mobility solutions through a four-pillar approach that includes buses and coaches, technology, infrastructure, and workforce development. NFI also operates the Vehicle Innovation Center (“VIC”), the first and only innovation lab of its kind dedicated to advancing bus and coach technology and providing workforce development. Since opening late 2017, the VIC has hosted over 300 interactive events, welcoming 4,000 industry professionals for EV and infrastructure training.
This article was originally published by New Flyer.
